Corvette Ladies Salute - The Vette Files

Vette Files

Carol Burton 1965 coupeA Kid AgainThis '65 coupe is the proclaimed favorite toy in the well-stocked toy box owned by Carol Burton and her husband Larry, of Lake Burton, Florida. Currently running a ZZ3 GM crate motor with TPI, a super chip, and other "goodies" such as a four-speed and 3.70 gears, Carol's "Snake Charmer" puts out approximately 420 hp! Larry has his '30 Ford street rod to "play with" at car shows, as well as a '99 Plymouth Prowler the couple owns, but it's Carol's Vette that gets the attention-both at the shows and on the street where she's not afraid to step up to an impromptu burn out contest.

3/11

Nicole White 1978 Silver Anniversary coupeWorth The WaitNicole White of Sacramento, California, has wanted a Corvette since she was a little girl, and after many years (including 10 in the Air Force) she finally found this '78 Silver Anniversary Edition coupe. Nicole's Vette is all-original; the cruise control, A/C, and factory alarm still work perfectly. Nicole's mechanic told her it was the "cleanest car" he'd seen in awhile, so she bought it. She likes the attention the car gets, except when it's from the highway patrol-she's been pulled over once while driving the Vette. She didn't get a ticket, but she's not sure if it was the great car or her physique!

Susan Gillum Smith 2000 coupeThe Sexiest Car On The Road"I've been a Corvette lover since the age of 16." C5 owner Susan Gillum Smith also admires her Vettes blending of technology, power, and comfort, that, "put this car in a sports car league of its own." Susan likes sports cars-a lot. Her first car was a '79 Camaro Z-28 which was followed by a Nissan 300ZX, but neither compared to her dream car, this white '00 coupe. Susan has dressed it up with chrome accessories and actually enjoys hand washing and waxing the car, which she says is quite relaxing. As a corporate trainer for United Airlines, she spends a lot of time traveling and says she always looks forward to coming home to her husband, her dog, Nakita, and her Corvette, which is, "The queen of the road!"

Shirlee Poppe 1980 coupe It's in Her BloodThis '80 coupe, "GHOST-2," is the Vette that Shirlee Poppe of Wahoo, Nebraska, currently has under her skin, and it's no wonder why: entered in 10 shows last summer, this car placed First or Best in Show in all 10! A phlebotomist and a member of the Nebraska Corvette Association, the love of Vettes has pulsed through her veins for most of Shirlee's life. She has owned a '66 coupe that she raced in rallies and through sloaloms, a '69 coupe that "also liked to race," and a '78 pace car that "liked parades."

Laura Puglisi 1969 convertibleSide PipesBeing loaded with options is great, but Laura Puglisi of East Rutherford, New Jersey, says it's the side pipes that are "an absolute must for a Stingray Vette." Her '69 convertible has A/C, power windows, power brakes, power steering, and she has done all the engine work on the 350 with the help of her boyfriend, Rob (whom she met at a car show). She loves to cruise the Vette during the summer and take it to shows, and this year she's going to take it for a few quarter-mile strolls down the local strip. This is a step up from the '79 Trans-Am she "settled for" prior to her Vette!

7/11

Susan DeFazio 1985 coupeA "Beater"?You'd never think so now, after Susan Defazio of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and her husband, Sam, got their hands on this '85 coupe! The couple got this Vette six years ago and have worked hard to make it look as good as it does now. The headlight motors were broken, the interior was bad, and the paint was marked by acid rain. Sue and Sam dyed the interior black, installed red carpet and a dash mat, added red pinstripes, a Monza muffler, and used "a ton of car polish" to freshen the paint. Sue's Vette has 130,000 miles on it, but it "still runs great," this grandmother of two is proud to say!

8/11

Linda Guenther 1993 40th Anniversary convertibleFun of Her OwnLinda Guenther and her husband Bill of Cataula, Georgia, decided that another car, for long trips, would be in order since their son had grown and moved out of their house. Linda's car was just fine for her, even though it had high miles and was more of an "everyday car." The couple already had a '61 Vette convertible that was the "fun cruising" car-except that Bill got to drive it. Linda realized that Bill "was having most of the fun" and so Bill suggested that Linda get her "own fun car." After searching the Internet, Linda decided that this Rubt Red '93 40th Anniversary convertible was the kind of fun she was looking for, and now she says "there is nothing like a Corvette!"

Dora Surbrook 1976 coupeA Ray Of SunshineWhat more could you ask for than a car that makes you smile? Not much according to Dora Surbrook of Grants Pass, Oregon, who describes her '76 Stingray as. "a ray of sunshine, bright, cheerful, and gorgeous." Dora fell in love with Vettes in the '60s when her older brother would take her for rides in the '64 roadster that he still owns. Later she dated a guy with a '63 split-window coupe. Her '76 was in sad shape when she got it, but with help from her husband, Wayne, plus Bob from 99 Auto Repair, and Mike from Midnight Magic (who stripped off four previous repaints), it's in good-as-new shape mechanically and looks sharp in Bright Yellow Pearl and 17-inch American mags. Dora says, "When I take her out on the highway, I just can't help but smile."

Carol Maringer 1990 coupeChrome and CognacCarol Maringer of Westmont, Illinois, calls her '90 red coupe "an outstanding example of the C4," and it is indeed. With only 60,000 miles her car is entirely stock, (including the FX3 electronically controlled suspension), except for the chrome exhaust tips that highlight the factory wheels that she had chrome plated. Part of the reason the paint and interior are in great condition is the fact that she only drives this car during the summer, storing it in the winter. And the car won Second Place in the C4 class at the 2001 Bill Kay Chevrolet Corvette Show!

Valerie Aiello 1995 coupeClub GirlWhen Valerie Aiello of DeLand, Florida, was looking for a new car, she driving a Z28, a TransAm, and a Mustang Cobra, but she was taken with her boyfriend Mike's C4. He'd been "driving and racing Corvettes for the last 25 years," Valerie says, but she'd never driven his car. She was amazed when she did. She really liked the Admiral Blue or Competition Yellow colors, and finally found this '95 Admiral Blue six-speed coupe. Now the couple are members of the Corvette Cruisers of Daytona Beach, the Corvette Club of America, the NCCC, the NCOA, the C5 Registry, and have participated in the parade lap of the Daytona Beach Rolex 24 Hour Race.

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